Sobriety checkpoints are a common form of high visibility enforcement that creates general deterrence. In order to maximize the deterrent effect, checkpoints should be highly publicized, highly visible, and conducted frequently. If drivers perceive a high likelihood of being detected for driving while impaired they may be less likely to engage in the behavior.

Currently, 38 states and the District of Columbia utilize sobriety checkpoints as part of impaired driving enforcement efforts. Twelve states do not use checkpoints for the following reasons:

**Drunkenness is not considered a crime in some states; therefore, the figures may vary widely from state to state

*Limited, incomplete, or no data were reported by the District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, and New York in the 2015 Uniform Crime Report. Data should be used with caution and should not be compared to other states or previous year data.

Note: Because the number of agencies submitting arrest data varies from year to year, users are cautioned about making direct comparisons between 2015 arrest totals and those published in previous years’ editions of Crime in the United States. Further, arrest figures may vary widely from state to state because some Part II crimes of the Uniform Crime Report are not considered crimes in some states.